7 steps to a greenish ghoulish Halloween

Got a cute little pumpkin for a buck at the farmers market Wednesday, and I'm ready for Halloween! Some tips for greening yours:

1. Pick up a cute pumpkin at your local farmers market! Did I mention I got mine for a buck? Procrastinators: The un-early bird gets the pumpkin -- or in this case, lots and lots of pumpkins. Stop by the Santa Monica Farmers' Market (Arizona and 2nd) during market hours on Halloween for All You Can Carry Pumpkins. For just $5, you can teeter away with all the pumpkins you can balance on your body --

2. Carve a pumpkin! And put the carved-out remains in your green bin for composting. Kids can actually make a decorating mess for free at the Farmers' Market in Virginia Avenue Park on Saturday, Oct. 27. Get there early (market opens at 9 am) and your kid'll get a free pumpkin and decorating supplies for his/her Halloween masterpiece. All kids in costume get a special prize.

3. Add a petroleum-free flicker. Avoid candles made of petroleum-based paraffin -- an eco no-no -- which're often also have a free shot of stearic acid from the meatpacking industry. Luckily, beeswax, hydrogenated soybean oil or palm oil candles aren't too hard to find now -- Just make sure you read the label to make sure you're not buying 100% good stuff, not a petroleum-soybean hybrid dealio.

Plus, take a second look at candles made outside the U.S., because the candle wicks sometimes contain lead -- a serious health hazard. Scary's good, but not if it'll kill you for reals. Yummy-smelling, eco-friendly candles are easy to find at Whole Foods everywhere.

4. Stock up on the good yummy chocolate. The fair trade organic stuff, to be specific -- so you can make sure you're not giving kids anything doused in pesticides or produced via child labor. Whole Foods and Co-opportunity offer lots of yummy fair trade and organic chocos, though it's tougher to find bite-sized stuff. Luckily, Global Exchange's got a whole Trick or Treat kit on sale -- complete with 42 pieces of Equal Exchange Fair Trade mini chocolates, a stack of festive Halloween postcards, traditional Papel Picado Mexican party streamers, and a recycled Trick or Treat Bag -- all for $15!

5. Set the ghoulish mood. I already mentioned the Papel Picado Mexican party streamers streamers on No. 3, but there's more! Yep, mini orange and black CFL bulbs have hit the market. Most eco and cheapest tip of all: Reuse your Halloween decorations from last year! They'll never really go out of style --

6. Be nice to the kiddies. Kelli Best-Oliver at Green Options has five simple steps for green trick or treating -- though I have to say I'm not a huge fan of No. 2. Yes, organic chocolates sound great, but who really wants to get raisins -- much less mini toothpastes -- in their trick or treat bag? Environmentalism shouldn't mean disappointing holidays --

7. Have a scary webby experience. Don't wanna make a mess? Carve a pumpkin online! To the right is my creation. I found out about this cute app via CreepyLA, which has the latest news on all things creepy -- plus a damn good map that'll serve as a "guide to reported supernatural activity throughout Los Angeles County." Boo!

Top photo by Siel; middle image courtesy of Global Exchange; bottom image courtesy of cubpack

Comments

[m]

Paper mache pumpkins can also be created at home with reused paper and a little bit of flour/water paste. If you can find and use orange paper even just for the first and last layers (I managed to scrounge up a stack from my apartment trash bin a few months ago), there's no paint required. Paper mache pumpkins can be carved as a normal pumpkin can without the mess and they can last longer.

If you actually carve a real pumpkin, you can also eat the pumpkin seeds or share them with animal/people friends!

[The Not Quite Crunchy Parent]

Great tips! How about - make your own scarecrow using those old clothes too scruffy to give to charity; Buy reusable Halloween themed plates, glasses, etc and for kids: Buy a well made costume to add to the pretend play box after halloween; buy or make a reusable treat bag ( felt,a bucket or pillow case); skip the plastic accessories...espcially the vampire teeth...I worry about phthalates...